As those with a degree in Jim Harbaugh know, the 49ers coach has never lacked for confidence.

I was reminded of his self-assuredness recently when speaking with one of his close friends and former assistants, University of South Florida head coach Willie Taggart, whose best man at his wedding was Harbaugh.

On the topic of Great Quarterback Switch – the swap of Alex Smith for Colin Kaepernick – Taggart said Harbaugh didn’t suffer from second-guessing once he made a decision.

“When you talk to him, he believes in himself,” said Taggart. “One thing coach Harbaugh will always tell you is ‘You know I’m right.’ And nine times out of 10, he is right.”

To illustrate his point, Taggart recalled how Harbaugh insisted Stanford would always find a better coach whenever an assistant left the program. After three seasons as the Cardinal’s running backs coach, Taggart became the head coach at Western Kentucky after the 2009 season.

“When I left Stanford, I told him ‘Coach you’re not going to be able to say that anymore because I’m leaving,’” Taggart said.

Willie Taggart. (AP)

Harbaugh’s response? He replaced Taggart with his dad, Jack, a 42-year coaching veteran who won a Division I-AA national title at Western Kentucky, where he also coached Taggart.

“After Jim turned around and hired his dad he said ‘I told you so,’” Taggart said.

Harbaugh, of course, had another told-you-so moment when Kaepernick accounted for 444 yards and four touchdowns last week in a 45-31 divisional-playoff win over the Packers. The transcendent performance vaporized any further talk about the wisdom of replacing highly efficient incumbent Alex Smith with the unproven Kaepernick.

After the game Taggart said he sent Harbaugh a text which read: “You are the best evaluator of quarterbacks in the country. Hands down.”

In response, the ultra-confident Harbaugh had a humble heart.

Said Taggart: “He said ‘Thank you very much. I appreciate it. It means a lot.’”